When Belle Plaine received a call from Susan Luedtke to perform at a special mother’s day brunch, the Saskatchewan singer-songwriter knew it would be a great opportunity.
“We did a show like this last year when we were in southern Saskatchewan,” Plaine said. “When Susan reached out, it felt like a nice fit.”
Belle Plaine will be performing with Elizabeth Curry on stand-up bass and Jeremy Sauer on piano (and a bunch of other instruments).
“Jeremy plays a lot of everything,” Plaine laughed. “Accordion or banjo – you never quite know what he’s going to pack along.”
The trio’s performance will be a part of a special Mother’s Day brunch and concert at the Rock Trout Café this weekend.
“It’s a show that people can come and just enjoy their brunch,” Plaine said. “Well be there singing for mums.”
She describes her musical style as a bit of a throwback to early folk, blues and swing music.
“it’s a mix of a few different genres, but all of them point to early forms of music, where song writing was at the forefront,” Plaine said.
“We do a mix, just to break it up. I’ve got some really great musicians who are able to play most anything. I like to utilize that in the show.”
Belle Plaine is Sasktachewan born and raised, coming from the hamlet of Fosston, Sask., population 54. The blink-and-you’ll miss it village is located about 200 km due east of Saskatoon, on the highway between Tisdale and Wadena.
She grew up with twangy AM radio and classical voice, until she left to study contemporary music in college.
Her career has brought her to festivals across the country, including the Regina Folk Festival and Small Halls in PEI.
She’s been singing since she was five, but began performing with the stage name Belle Plaine about seven years ago.
“I took the stage name as a kind of way to deflect attention from my personal life,” she said. “I’m not sure I’ve been successful in that in the long run,” she chuckled.
“But when I took the name, I wanted something that represented the prairies, and represented a feminine aspect to the prairies, and that’s such a small town in Saskatchewan. I’m not from Belle Plaine, but as someone who had relocated for a number of years prior to returning, it was a way to re-embrace being here.”
Throughout her career, the Plaine has focused not just on the vocals, but on telling a story.
“(Lyrics) are where it all starts for me,” she said. “I want to be an artist that has something to communicate in their career, so when I look back on what I have created, I can think that I did my best to connect with people on an emotional level.
“For me to find this work meaningful, there has to be an integrity of the lyric that I can stand behind for as long as I am required to sing it.”
What: Mother’s Day Brunch and Concert featuring a performance by Belle Plaine
Where: Rock Trout Cafe, 903 Central Avenue
When: Sunday, May 14, 2017, 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Cost: $25 for adults, $15 for kids under 12
To reserve a seat: call 306-763-2666
